“Yes, of course,” she said. What she really wanted to do was stay in that spot and beg Fiera to listen to her as Vi warned her against all that was to come. For it wouldn’t matter what dress she wore, or who she upset, if she was just going to end up dead before the year was up.
“Zira, while I’m at lunch, will you do me a favor and fetch the sword? Tiberus and I will be rehearsing the ceremony with the Crones this afternoon.”
“Why not just use a regular sword instead?” Vi asked. She didn’t like taking the sword out of its hiding place.
“I suggested as much,” Fiera sighed. “But Tiberus was insistent… He’s not been quiet about finally seeing the legendary Sword of Jadar. I hope if I indulge him some, it’ll lose its wonder.”
It never would, but Vi didn’t have the heart to tell Fiera that. “Are you rehearsing at the Cathedral of the Sun?”
“No, we’ll do it here.”
“At least it’s not leaving the castle, then.”
“My thoughts exactly.” Fiera gave them both a smile and passed the key to the armory over to Zira. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I don’t want to keep Tiberus waiting.” Fiera turned, starting up the hall.
“Princess—” Zira began, quickly stopping herself.
“Yes?” Fiera looked startled at the outburst.
“It’s nothing.” Zira put her hands in her pockets and smiled. “Have a good lunch.”
Vi followed Zira down toward the armory. If the sword was being taken out of its hiding place, then she was going to stay glued to its side. But her thoughts wandered from the sword.
“What was that?” Vi finally asked, when it was clear Zira wasn’t about to say anything.
“What was what?”
“The thing you were going to ask Fiera.”
“It’s nothing.”
They arrived at the armory and Vi held her breath as Zira undid the lock, waiting to see if she noticed anything amiss. But if there was a sign of Vi’s nighttime experimentations and practice with the sword, Zira overlooked it. In fact, even as she took the sword off the wall, her gaze was a thousand miles away.
“Zira—”
“My family is here,” Zira finally let out with a heavy sigh. “My mother and daughter.”
“Raylynn?”
Zira froze for a full half-minute before turning slowly. “I don’t recall ever telling you my daughter’s name.”
“Perhaps you… forgot?”
“I think I’d remember.”
“Perhaps the Mother gave me a vision of the girl.”
“Did she…” Zira murmured, looking at Vi as if seeing her for the first time. “Perhaps you can help me.”
“With what?”
“Come, and let me tell you on the way.”
They strolled through the castle, winding down the now-familiar pathways. She ran her fingertips along the walls, feeling the grooves of the stone underneath her nails. There had been another Vi before her who had walked these halls. Had she made the same motions? Were her fingerprints running along the tracks of the fingerprints of ninety-two other Vis throughout time?
“A few years ago, Fiera told me that when she met Raylynn she would look into the girl’s future,” Zira started.
“Like a curiosity shop?”
